Ice skating Toronto turns the city into Canada’s most romantic winter destination. From the iconic Nathan Phillips Square reflecting pool — illuminated by 27 metres of multi-coloured arches and the famous “TORONTO” sign — to the 250 free outdoor city rinks scattered across every neighbourhood, Toronto runs the largest free outdoor skating program in North America. Add the indoor Olympic-size facilities, the natural-ice ponds in Ramsden Park and Trinity Bellwoods, and the spectacular new Bentway skating trail under the Gardiner Expressway, and you have a winter sports scene that gives Toronto a serious claim to outdoor-skating capital. This guide ranks the city’s 25 best skating rinks, walks through skate rentals and seasonal hours, and adds context on tobogganing, cross-country skiing, and the surprise of fat biking on the Toronto Islands.
Why ice skating Toronto is a must-do winter activity
Toronto’s outdoor skating season typically runs late November through mid-March, with the most reliable mid-season weeks being mid-January to mid-February. The city’s Parks and Recreation department opens 53 supervised outdoor compressor-cooled rinks (which stay frozen even when temperatures rise above zero), plus another 200 community-volunteer-maintained natural-ice rinks. All of them are free to skate. Skate rentals cost $5–$15 at the dozen rinks that have a skate-rental concession.
The best ice skating Toronto offers is at the city’s three flagship outdoor rinks — Nathan Phillips Square, Harbourfront’s Natrel Pond, and the new Bentway under-the-Gardiner trail — where the combination of skyline views, music, and lights makes for one of the most photographed winter experiences in Canada.
Nathan Phillips Square: the iconic Toronto skating experience
The Nathan Phillips Square skating rink (100 Queen St W, in front of City Hall) is the most-photographed ice skating Toronto location and the unofficial winter symbol of the city. The reflecting pool of the 1965 City Hall plaza freezes into a 1,800 sq metre rink under three iconic concrete arches, which are wrapped in 27 metres of programmed LED lights nightly. The “TORONTO” letters at the south end of the square are the city’s most-visited photo-op. Skating is free; skate rentals are $10/2 hours from the Skate Boutique inside the City Hall lobby. Music plays nightly until 10pm. Closest TTC: Queen (Line 1).
Pro tip: for the iconic photo, arrive at twilight (4:30–5:30pm in midwinter) when the sky is still blue but the lights have come on. The rink is busiest 6–9pm on weekends; weekday afternoons before 4pm are nearly empty.
Harbourfront Natrel Rink: lakefront skyline skating
The Natrel Skating Rink at Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay W) is Toronto’s most spectacular ice skating Toronto location for skyline views — the rink sits on the lakeshore promenade with the harbour to the south and the CN Tower rising directly behind. DJ skate nights run Saturdays from 6–10pm with rotating themes (Disco Skate, Latin Night, ’90s Night). Skate rentals $12/session at the Boathouse pavilion. Free skating Monday–Friday 10am–10pm, weekends 10am–11pm.
The Bentway: 1.75 km of skating trail under a freeway
The Bentway (250 Fort York Blvd) is Toronto’s newest and most architecturally remarkable skating venue — a 1.75 km figure-8 ice trail snaking through the concrete columns supporting the Gardiner Expressway above. Designed by Public Work, the Bentway opened in 2018 and immediately became one of the most photographed urban-skating spaces in the world. Free admission, free skate-aid loans, and skate rentals $12/2 hrs. Open daily 11am–10pm. Closest TTC: 511 Bathurst streetcar to Lake Shore.
Other top outdoor rinks
Trinity Bellwoods Park rink
Trinity Bellwoods (790 Queen W) has a popular community-maintained natural-ice rink in the centre of the park during cold winters. Pickup hockey on the south side; family skating on the north. Free, no rentals.
Ramsden Park rink
Ramsden Park (Avenue Rd at Roxborough) is the elite of the Yorkville-area natural rinks — a long oval surrounded by spruce trees and tall heritage homes. One of Toronto’s prettiest rinks. Free.
Greenwood Park rink
Greenwood Park (150 Greenwood Ave) has the city’s first publicly funded oval skating track — a 250-metre loop perfect for endurance skaters, plus a hockey rink and two pleasure rinks. Free, with skate rentals weekends.
Christie Pits Park rink
Christie Pits (750 Bloor W) has a compressor-cooled rink with hockey on one side, family skating on the other. The amphitheatre-style park around it makes for a great cold-weather walk. Free.
Withrow Park rink
Withrow Park (725 Logan Ave) is Riverdale’s community rink — natural ice, surrounded by mature trees, with a small fire pit warming station on weekends. Free.
Sherbourne Common rink
Sherbourne Common (61 Dockside Dr, East Bayfront) is the most architectural of the rinks — designed as part of a 2010 waterfront park, the rink is bordered by a stainless-steel water sculpture that doubles as a lighting installation. Free.
Mel Lastman Square rink
The North York counterpart to Nathan Phillips Square — a compressor-cooled rink at 5100 Yonge St (in front of North York Civic Centre), with skate rentals on-site and a similar evening-lights atmosphere. Free.
Other compressor-cooled outdoor rinks worth visiting
Other notable ice skating Toronto rinks include Dufferin Grove (875 Dufferin), Riverdale Park East (550 Broadview), Wallace Emerson (1257 Dufferin), High Park (1873 Bloor W), and Earl Bales (4169 Bathurst — connected to the Earl Bales ski hill).
Indoor rinks for serious skaters
Toronto has 30+ indoor city rinks, including five Olympic-size rinks ideal for figure skating and hockey: Scarborough Gardens Arena (4985 Sheppard E), Mitchell Field Community Centre (89 Church Ave, North York), Bill Bolton Arena (40 Rossmore Rd, Annex), and the Mattamy Athletic Centre (50 Carlton St — formerly the iconic Maple Leaf Gardens, now home to public skating sessions on the upper rink). Drop-in rates $4.50/session.
Skate rentals and lessons
Skate rentals at city rinks: $10–$15/session at Nathan Phillips Square, Harbourfront, the Bentway, Greenwood Park, and a half-dozen other venues. Bring a credit card or government ID for the deposit. Skate sharpening is available at Mountain Equipment Co-op (400 King W), Sport Chek, and the Pro Hockey Life chain (most malls).
The City of Toronto offers Learn to Skate classes at most indoor rinks for $80–$120 for a 7-week course. Skate Canada‘s national CanSkate program runs out of dozens of GTA clubs.
Beyond skating: other Toronto winter sports
Tobogganing hills
The city designates 27 official tobogganing hills with markers and basic safety reviews. Top picks: Riverdale Park East (steep, fast — for older kids and adults), Christie Pits (gentler — for families), Withrow Park (the best mid-Toronto tobogganing hill), Trinity Bellwoods (short but family-fun), and Earl Bales (north Toronto’s longest run).
Cross-country skiing
Several Toronto parks groom Nordic ski tracks when snow accumulates: Earl Bales Park has the most extensive trail network (5 km of groomed trails, plus equipment rental), High Park has informal tracks through the meadows, and Tommy Thompson Park / Leslie Spit opens a 5 km Nordic loop on heavy-snow days.
Downhill skiing within the city
Earl Bales Snow School (4169 Bathurst) operates a small two-lift hill with night skiing and snowboarding lessons — Toronto’s only urban ski hill. Lift tickets $25. The big skiing is 90 minutes north — see our Blue Mountain from Toronto guide.
Fat biking on the Toronto Islands
An increasingly popular winter sport — fat-tire mountain bikes ride the snow-covered Multi-Use Trail across the Toronto Islands. The ferry runs to Ward’s Island year-round (every 30–45 min in winter), and the islands’ relative warmth (lake-effect) keeps trails ride-able. Toronto Adventures rents fat bikes from December to early March.
Practical tips for ice skating Toronto
What to wear
Layered clothing — base layer (synthetic or merino, never cotton), mid layer (fleece or down), shell (waterproof). Mittens warmer than gloves; thin liner gloves underneath if you want phone access. Wool socks. A toque covers the ears (vital — most heat loss is from the head). Pack a thin scarf or buff for very cold nights.
When to go
Outdoor rinks open late November and close mid-March, weather-dependent. Best skating mid-January through mid-February, when the ice is fully frozen and crowds are still manageable. Family skating Saturday and Sunday afternoons (1–4pm) and “DJ skate” / “skate party” events Friday and Saturday evenings are the most fun.
Costs
City of Toronto outdoor skating: free. Skate rentals: $10–$15 per session. Hot chocolate at most rink concession stands: $4–$6. Indoor public skating drop-in: $4.50–$8. Cross-country ski rental at Earl Bales: $20/day.
Accessibility
Most major Toronto rinks have wheelchair-accessible washrooms. Nathan Phillips Square, Harbourfront, the Bentway, and Sherbourne Common all have ice-skating-aid loans (the metal-frame walker-style aids). Adaptive skating programs run at several Toronto Parks rinks — see toronto.ca/skating.
Internal links: build your Toronto winter itinerary
Pair skating with the rest of Toronto’s winter offering: best parks in Toronto, Blue Mountain from Toronto, Distillery Christmas Market, things to do in Toronto, CN Tower tickets, and our where to stay in Toronto guide for hotels near the major rinks. For warm-weather alternatives, see Toronto beaches and kayaking Toronto.
Ice skating Toronto is the city’s most quintessential winter experience — bring warm gloves, plan a 4:30pm arrival at Nathan Phillips Square, and follow it with hot chocolate at a Queen Street café.